Combined mandolin shield and string-holder.



No. 688,243. Patented Dec. 3, l90l. F. 0. GUTMAN.

COMBINED MANDOLIN SHIELD AND STRING HOLDER.

(Application filed Aug. 20, 1900.)

(lo Modal.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK O. GUTIWIAN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

COMBINED MANDOLIN SHIELD AND STRING-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 688,243, dated December 3, 1901.

Application filed August 20, 1900. serial No. 27,396. (N modem To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK O. GUT- MAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Mandolin Shield and String-Holder, of which I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in a combined string-holder and shield for mandolins; and my invention consists in the arrangement and construction of the various parts, as hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a mandolin provided with my improved devices. Fig. 2 shows a detail view of the shield, and Fig. 3 is a detail viewof the stringholder. Fig. 4 shows a fragmentary detail of the shield and hand-rest. Fig. 5 shows a longitudinal sectional view on a line drawn through the center of the shield shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 shows a string with a knotted end.

In the views, 1 is the mandolin, 2 the bridge, and 3 the strings which pass over the bridge which raises them slightly above the sounding-board.

4 is the shield, which is adapted to cover the strings at the point where the hand rests upon the instrument. This shield is provided with an extension 5, which turns down over the end of the instrument and is hinged at 6 -to a tailpiece 7, secured tightly to the body of the instrument by screws 8. Theforward portion of the shield is provided on one side with the catch 9, which is adapted to pass under the last string on that side, and on the other side with a catch 10, pivoted to the shield at 11. The pivoted catch is provided with the thumb-piece 12, projecting therefrom and by which it is turned. Both of the catches are made adjustable by means of slots 13 and nuts 14 upon the fastening-screws, so that they may be separated or drawn together to suit the width of the strings.

Any design maybe employed for the shield, that of a harp, as shown, being deemed suitable for the purpose.

The string-holder is secured to the tailpiece of the shield and in the separate figure is seen more clearly to consist of a plate 15, provided with lugs 16, on either side of which is inserted the bar 17, lying transversely across the plate. Slots 18 are cut in the inner face of this bar next to the plate, through which the strings are inserted. By means of this slotted bar the loops heretofore constructed at the extremities of strings for mandolins can be abandoned, and it will only be necessary to tie a knot in the end of the string, thus saving much time, labor, and expense, and place it within one of the notches to secure it in the bar in the tailpiece.

The shield and string-holder can be attached together in any suitable manner, as by lugs bent over, as shown, and the stringholder will be concealed under the shield, thus forming an artistic and finished piece of work.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A shield for a musical instrument in combination with a hand-rest, a tailpiece secured to the end of the instrumentand hinged to said hand-rest, and catches upon either side of the hand-rest, constructed and arranged to engage the outer wires, substan-' tially as described.

2. In combination in a mandolin-shield, a hand-rest, a tailpiece attached thereto and secured to the end of the instrument, and adjustable catches on either side of the handrest, one of said catches being pivoted upon the hand-rest and provided with a thumbpiece, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRED. O. GUTMAN.

Witnesses:

WM. M. MONROE, R. M. BROWNE. 

